Oklahoma Sec. of Finance has good reason to be drunk

Editorial
by former State Senator Jerry Ellis

Preston Doerflinger, secretary of finance for Governor Fallin, was arrested last week for having control of a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.

The governor continues to have confidence in Doerflinger’s good work as Cabinet secretary of finance and director of the State Office of Management and Enterprise Services. Perhaps Doerflinger is the only one smart enough to grasp the magnitude of Oklahoma’s financial problems, or they would all be drunk.

For four years Oklahoma has given hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks to the oil and gas companies. Why? Some fear they will leave if we don’t, while others think oil and gas should be rewarded since they provide one of every four jobs in Oklahoma.

For whatever reason, oil and gas has received special treatment the past four years. New oil is below $50 a barrel and state revenue will surely hurt if oil prices don’t rebound soon.

Oil and gas have been given everything. It would compare to giving all the feed to a special pen of heifers to learn that none will have a calf. Guess what -- we still have a feed bill.

In the case of Oklahoma, Preston Doerflinger still has to come up with a balanced budget after giving hundreds of millions to big oil. Preston Doerflinger has been sent on mission impossible!

Governor Fallin was right -- don’t fire Preston. Get him a designated driver.

--Jerry Ellis

The Gayly – January 30, 2015 @ 12:35pm.